The rental area is directly across the airport, on the ground floor, so you just need to walk across -- great not having to deal with a shuttle when you have baggage.

The Executive area had some decent cars, but definitely could use some work. There were several two door coupes (Camaros and Challengers) which look great but are terrible for storage and/or people carrying

They had a few minivans, a couple of Ford Fusions, etc.

The "Premier" section had a couple of BMWs and at least one Infiniti SUV (QX70, the new version of the FX), and a few others.

The crew was very friendly and I had no problems just walking up and taking a car, then returning it. One of the smoothest rentals with National this year.

The rental area is directly across the airport, on the ground floor, so you just need to walk across -- great not having to deal with a shuttle when you have baggage.

The Executive area had some decent cars, but definitely could use some work. There were several two door coupes (Camaros and Challengers) which look great but are terrible for storage and/or people carrying

They had a few minivans, a couple of Ford Fusions, etc.

The "Premier" section had a couple of BMWs and at least one Infiniti SUV (QX70, the new version of the FX), and a few others.

The crew was very friendly and I had no problems just walking up and taking a car, then returning it. One of the smoothest rentals with National this year.

Just got back from RSW and it seems National is decent down there. The rental area is directly across the airport, on the ground floor, so you just need to walk across -- great not having to deal with a shuttle when you have baggage. The Executive area had some decent cars, but definitely could use some work. There were several two door coupes (Camaros and Challengers) which look great but are terrible for storage and/or people carrying They had a few minivans, a couple of Ford Fusions, etc. The "Premier" section had a couple of BMWs and at least one Infiniti SUV (QX70, the new version of the FX), and a few others. The crew was very friendly and I had no problems just walking up and taking a car, then returning it. One of the smoothest rentals with National this year.

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Anyone know how the minivan quantities look on the emerald aisle. Coming down in February with 5 adults and a baby and would prefer not to rent a minivan at minivan price and instead go for a midsize and snatch a minivan in the emerald aisle.

Anyone know how the minivan quantities look on the emerald aisle. Coming down in February with 5 adults and a baby and would prefer not to rent a minivan at minivan price and instead go for a midsize and snatch a minivan in the emerald aisle.

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I never rented one from there -- or come to think of it, at all -- so I can't comment.

However, you can always call them and ask.. if you're coming down around winter break with the kids, you might have a tough time with inventory, unless they have tons of them, since people might be doing the same thing you are. Then again, it's RSW... it's not like it's Orlando or something

I've had limited success with National "finding" a specific car, but if you need something large specifically then you might be rolling the dice. How about reserving with another company, just in case? That way if National doesn't have one or can't find one, you have a backup.

With just emerald I wouldn't know, but as an executive I can just about get any vehicle I want that's on the lot, I have not rented from RSW so I wouldn't know but FLL, TPA, MCO always have minivans in the mix

Anyone know how the minivan quantities look on the emerald aisle. Coming down in February with 5 adults and a baby and would prefer not to rent a minivan at minivan price and instead go for a midsize and snatch a minivan in the emerald aisle.

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viguera said:

I never rented one from there -- or come to think of it, at all -- so I can't comment.
I've had limited success with National "finding" a specific car, but if you need something large specifically then you might be rolling the dice. How about reserving with another company, just in case? That way if National doesn't have one or can't find one, you have a backup.

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Excellent suggestion. To refine, have one of the other adults rent a mini at National at that location as a backup just in case. If you get there and can pluck from the aisle, then the other reservation gets dropped.

Interesting scenario, could you take the mini if that were the only one there and it had been reserved by your traveling companion?

Excellent suggestion. To refine, have one of the other adults rent a mini at National at that location as a backup just in case. If you get there and can pluck from the aisle, then the other reservation gets dropped.

Interesting scenario, could you take the mini if that were the only one there and it had been reserved by your traveling companion?

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My understanding is that you can take whatever is in the lot, as long as you have status and you reserved a mid-size or larger.

But my suggestion was to reserve elsewhere, because if you get there and National doesn't have any minivans at all, then it doesn't matter who reserved what

But my suggestion was to reserve elsewhere, because if you get there and National doesn't have any minivans at all, then it doesn't matter who reserved what

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Excellent point. Then hopefully the other company has one, too! Wouldn't that be awful luck?

My experiences have been there are usually lots of minis and SUVs, though. Was in YUL once and on a weekly trip all they had were minis and SUVs. Felt like an idiot driving around the island in a mini all by myself all week. The accidental ragtop in summer was much better later that year.

Excellent point. Then hopefully the other company has one, too! Wouldn't that be awful luck?

My experiences have been there are usually lots of minis and SUVs, though. Was in YUL once and on a weekly trip all they had were minis and SUVs. Felt like an idiot driving around the island in a mini all by myself all week. The accidental ragtop in summer was much better later that year.

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It depends on the location though, and the time of year. There's not much near RSW other than Bonita Springs and FAs that live nearby, so I would expect that the locations don't have as many large cars as say Orlando or LAX (where a lot of families travel with their kids to go to Disney). I recall seeing more minivans at Tampa than I did at RSW, but then again they might just have been rented out.

The rental car game gets tricky when you need a specific car, whether it's a convertible or a minivan. The last couple of years I've been renting just sedans, so a single reservation at National works for me... just walk up and drive out in whatever looks newer / best kept. But if I needed a specific kind of car then I'd probably reserve in at least 2 other places and cancel if I find something at National that I can upgrade into.

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